Electrodeposition of iron.



UNITED srArEs PATENT OFFICE.

SHERARD OSBORN' oowPna-ooLEs, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

nnno'raonnrosrrron or mow. 4

I Improvementsin the Electrodeposition of .for commercial purposes.

Iron; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the electro-deposition of iron and has for its object to rovide a process which renders it possib eto produce iron or steel articles such as tubes, cylinders, sheets and the like in one operation, direct from crude iron or from iron ore.

It has hitherto been found impossible in practice to obtain by electro-deposition iron articles such as tubes, or sheets of a quality to render them of commercial value and at a cost which compares favorably with ordinary methods at present in use. The

chief difficulties encountered have been the slowness of the process due to the necessity of employing a very low current density and in obtaining iron of a quality suitable Iron electro-deposited under ordinar v conditions is orous and spongy, is difficul t to anneal an has a tendency to flake ofl the cathode during deposition unless de osited at a very low current density, WhlCh makes the process and the lant too costly for commercial urposes. ow, I have discovered that 1ron can be deposited in a form suitable for the roduction of tubes, sheets and wire with a bright smooth surface resembling that of very highly polished iron by maintainin the solution from which the iron is deposited charged with iron oxid.

- In a suitable way of carrying out the in- I vention the iron oxid is kept in suspension in the electrolyte b means of stirrers or by m0 one or both of the electrodes or bK any 0t er suitable means, the effect of whic is to reduce the acidity and effect aburnish' g action on the iron deposited. I have obtained excellent results from a solution containing 20 per cent. of sulfo-cresylic acid saturated with iron, the current density being 100 amperes per square foot of cathode surface, the voltage 3.25 at'the terminals of the iron electrodes, these being 5 inch apart and the temperature ofthe electrolyte 70 O.

Specification 01 Letters Patent. Application filed September 16, 1907. Serial No. 898,243.

Patented April 7, 1908.

considerabl affects the'quality of the iron. If it is muc below 70 C. the iron becomes laminated and flakes off; if it is much above 70 C. the surface becomes covered with ridges or stream lines and cannot be used for commercial purposes without further treatment.

The sulfo-cresylic acid above mentioned is a cresol-sulfonic acid containing approximately 108 parts cresol and 98 parts sulfuric acid. The cresol contains ortho 35%, meta 40% and para 25%. This cresol is heated with sulfuric acid, yielding isomeric cresolsulfonic acids.

It is important that none of the oxid in suspension shall be de osited on the iron otherwise it will be wort hless for commercial pur oses. It is therefore'advantageous in pro( ucing sheets or tubes, to slowl revolve the cathode which'may be arrange longitudinally or vertically.- This also insures an eqlual thickness of deposit by changin the re ative position of the anode and cat lode. I find that the iron produced from the sulfowhen it is desired to produce soft tough iron, ferrous sulfate solution should be employed, I also find that it may be advanta eous to add small quantities of carbon 'bisu d from time to time to the'electrolyte.

Iron articles produced as described above do not pit or corrode like iron which has been cast or wrou ht into the desired form, and this is proba ly due to the purity and uniformity of the metal.

When requiring to produce steel articles carbon is deposited with the iron and after removal from the mandrel they are heated to a hi h temperature to convert the iron into stee In a modified process according to the invention I make use of insoluble anodes, such as lead or graphite and I leach the iron out of the ore by means of a suitable solvent. For example, a carbonate or sulfid ore is roasted and mixed with crushed coke so as to form a filter bed'and a solution of sulfuric acid or other suitable solvent of iron oxid is caused to pass throiigh the filter bed which is .of a constitution to ermit the solution percolating freely through it. The coke and 1ron oxid form an electrlc couple in the resenceof the acid, thus facilitating the resolution of the ironoxid. In some cases I find it'is advantageous to arrange a cathode in a I find the temperature of the electrolyte.

cresylic solution is exceedingly hard and solution is pumped porous cell above the filter bed which consti:

tiites the anode and pass an electric current through the ore to assist its'dissolution After its passage through the filter bed the or allowed to circulate through an electro-depositing tank containin" insoluble anodes arrangled around a revo lving mandrel forming t e cathode upon which the iron is deposited in the form of a sheet, tube or the like.

. It is possible, when using a carbon or gra hite anode, to electro-deposit carbon wit the iron which, when heated, forms a steel.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. The process of obtaining the electro deposition of iron, which consists in forming an electrolyte from a substance containing iron and in maintaining .the electrolyte charged with iron, substantially as described.

2. The process of obtaining vthe electro deposition of iron, which consistsin forming an electrolyte from a substancecontaining iron, in charging the electrolyte with iron oxid and maintaining the same in suspension by agitation of the electrolyte, substantially as described.

3. The process of obtaining the electro deposition of iron, which consists in forming an electrolyte tron, iron'iore, in circulating such solution through a tank containing insoluble anodes arranged around a mandrel forming the cathode, substantially as de-" y scribed.

' 4. In the electro-deposition of iron from the ore, the process consisting in mixin r the roasted ore with coke so as to' form a ilterbed through which an iron oxid solvent is caused to pass, the solution, after its passage throu h the filter bed, being caused to circulate through a tank containing insoluble anodes arranged around a revolving cathode,

substantially as described.

5. The process of electro deposition of iron, which consists in forming an electrolyte from sulfo-cresylic acid, and substances containing iron and depositing the iron upon a cathode in the usual manner, substantially as described. a

6. The process of electro deposition of iron, which consists in forming an electrolyte from sulfo-cresylic acid and substances cona temperature approximating 70 (3., substantially as descri )od.

SHERARD ()SBURN COWlElt-COLES.

Witnesses G. REDFERN, A. ALNUTT.

'tainingiron and depositing the iron'upon 

